Slow Burn
by FuckinPoind3xter
Summary: A familiar face shows up in apartment 4A, nursing the all-too-familiar to the boys hangover and they all know how this visit will end: her gone in the middle of the night, having used all Sheldon could give. But, as usual, Sheldon insists she will stay. For good. ((Sheldon/OC drabbles))((Partner fic to Her by KelliColla)) Previously titled In the Water
1. Chapter 1

_**I have been sitting on this for months and just now got the chance to do this:) sort of a companion fic to Her by KelliCola but it's sort of the opposite of her OC Nellie. Basically how she wanted her character to be but she's not fond of darker subject matter.**_

_**Note: **__As it says abover, this story will contain darker subject matter and possible triggers. You have been warned._

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><p><em>"I'm drowning, Sheldon..."<em>

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><p>They know something is wrong before they even step into the apartment. If the clothes scattered around the apartment weren't any clue he angry and aggressive way Leonard was eating his breakfast was a dead give away.<p>

"What's uh," Howard sinks into a spot on the couch, flicking away a lacy bra from the armrest so Raj can sit . "What's up?"

Leonard glares over the rim of his glasses. Penny, who had been staring at her boyfriend quizically from the kitchen, sighs. She lifts a mug of coffee to her lips and then smacks her lips, gesturing at Leonard.

"He's been stewing all morning," she shook her head. "Been muttering about someone named Phoebe."

She notices the shift in the two and raises and eyebrow. Raj and Howard exchange a look before Howard sighs, patting his thighs.

"So she's back?"

Leonard nods angrily, setting his bowl on the edge of the coffee table. "Sheldon's been in there nursing her all day. Stumbled in here last night too drunk to speak."

Penny looked between everyone and she spoke up again. "Whose Phoebe?"

Howard shook his head. "She 's a girl Sheldon knew from college, comes up whenever she needs a place to sleep off her hangovers or bad trips."

"Why come to Sheldon though," she leaned forward onto the counter.

"Because...Sheldon loves her."


	2. Chapter 2

When she finally met this 'Phoebe', Penny wasn't all that impressed. A sad point considering this woman was supposed to be as smart - if not smarter - than their dear Sheldon.

Tattoos of monsters and several Geisha (including a random equation or two - which was odd in itself ) adorned the expanses of her arms and chest, her back host to more than one scar that left questions on the tip of her tongue.

As Phoebe stumbled down the hallway she grunted at the light coming through the open curtains and promptly closed them. The straps of the bra she wore dug into her skin as she stretched on her toes and Penny watched her rummage around in one of two garbage bags that were near the front door.

When Phoebe finally looked at Penny, a long curled strand of unnaturally red hair fell over the bridge of her nose. She straightened her back and brushed the hair away, a shirt and a pair of jeans clenched in her right hand.

"You must be Penny," her voice was husky, like an old movie stars.

Penny began to feel...strangely inadequate.

"You must be Phoebe," Penny stood, Leonards gaze following her hand as she held it out to the girl loathed by...everyone. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Phoebe took her hand, lips a firm line while Pennys smile faltered. Her dark eyes ran over to Leonard. ""Pretty girl, Leonard."

She dropped Pennys hand and brushed past her, steps firm and short until she reached the bathroom. If not for the tense atmosphere in the room, the shocked, gaping expression on a possibly naked Sheldons (Phoebe's tall for. blocked most of her sight into the bathroom - thank God) face might have gotten a good laugh out of Penny.

But she could only stare at Leonard, who was still glaring at the spot where Phoebe had stood moments ago. Penny had never seen him so angry before, especially towards someone who was supposedly 'using' Sheldon. Penny was always the one to get upset.

Right now, all she wanted to do was curl up in a corner. It almost seemed like she had sucked the happiness out of Penny.

"I think I can see why none of you like her now..."

But the question remained: how could Sheldon love this woman?


	3. Chapter 3

_I__** would like to give a big thank you to: sazzieazzie, stock2007 and SRAM. Your reviews are much appreciated!**_

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><p>He would never admit it, but when he saw her face on the other side of his apartment door, his heart stopped. Well, not really because then he would be dead - but he digressed.<p>

Leonard was mad, of course he was mad. He always prattled on about how Phoebe was just using him as a place to sleep off a hangover. What did Leonard know about he and Phoebes relationship? He didn't know a thing, seeing as he wasn't as smart as Sheldon and Phoebe. No one was as smart as the both of them.

Phoebe was a brilliant neuro-surgeon, had been since she was 17.

_"Coulda started sooner," she had whispered one night. "But I was too busy catching up with a childhood wasted."_

Sheldon was just glad to have her back, and didn't care about Leonard's incessant (and unneccesary) warnings. He just didn't know the Phoebe Sheldon knew. He didn't know how she laughed at bad jokes, that she liked cantelope but not watermelon, that she could type more than 60 words a minute. Leonard didn't know anything.

He just knew her love of whiskey when she lost a patient due to the nurses not caring for them properly after surgery.

It painted a sad picture for his Phoebe and though Sheldon knew, deep in his black little heart, that she would be gone before he woke, he always insisted she would stay.

But she never did.

And he couldn't admit that the fact stung, but...only a little.


	4. Chapter 4

_**This chapter feels so...awkward.**_

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><p>When she's sober, Phoebe is pleasant.<p>

She likes to fawn over Sheldon, even takes him shopping. Sheldon doesn't like shopping, but he seemed ecstatic to be with her. Penny thought it strange, how Sheldon and Phoebe rotated around eachother, almost in sync with her high-strung counterpart.

What she found even more strange was the way Phoebe occasionally left a bra hanging from Sheldons doorknob. In the week she had been in the apartment, the bra appeared three times. Penny found it odd, since soft music accompanied the bra from inside the room.

And one day, she couldn't help herself.

"Come on Raj, just get the usual," Leonard whined from his seat in the living room.

Penny crept down the hallway, chewing her lip as she stared at the door handle. Eventually she huffed and reached for the door, cringing briefly at the way she heard Phoebe mutter 'Sheldon' in that husky voice of hers.

She couldn't understand the lyrics to the song but it sent tingles over Penny's skin. It sounded sexual, but the scene in the room was anything but.

Phoebe and Sheldon were sitting on the floor, Phoebe running her hand up Sheldons shoulder while he was prattling on about the train set he was working on. The smile on Phoebe's face read adorement but the way her eyes were set, there was some kind of sadness there.

"Penny," Sheldons scolding voice made her jump.

Phoebe's face dropped and she looked over at Penny with an odd look on her face. Penny just pointed at the door handle though they obviously didn't know what she was pointing at so after clearing her throat, Penny spoke.

"I just...curious...bra?"

Way to go, Penny.

She frowned but Phoebe laughed, Sheldon disgruntled at having Phoebe's attention taken from him. The red head twisted to the radio on Sheldon's bedside table and turned the volume down a little. She smiled at Penny again, resting her head on Sheldon's shoulder; Penny felt like she was intruding upon...something more than what was really happening.

"I do that to keep the boys out," Phoebe told her.

Penny's brow furrowed. "How..."

Sheldon was still frowning.

Phoebe chuckled. "Sounds like a weird plan but Howard tried to badger me about a date when Sheldon tried to show me his display last time. Gets him away from me."

"Oh..."

Sheldon growled. "Ok," he waved a hand at Penny. "Now shoo!"

Phoebe chewed her bottom lip and Penny just shook her head, so hopefully confused and shut the door. The soft music started again as Penny shuffled back into the living room, sitting beside Howard with a weird little smile on her face.


	5. Chapter 5

**_All about Phoebe, this is slowly climbing towards a head._**

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><p>He's sick and she's not around.<p>

Leonard can guess where she is while Sheldon sits on the couch, dozing off while he waits for _her _to come back. Her stuff is still piled behind the couch so she _is _coming back. Only God knows when and he might still be a little iffy on the details.

After Sheldons fifth bob-of-the-head, Leonard sighs and rubs his forehead, leaning on the counter. "Sheldon, go to bed."

Sheldon blinks a few times, adjusting his comforter around himself. "But Phoebe..."

"Looks like she's gonna be in late. Go to bed, I'm sure she'll wake you up when she gets here."

Sheldon hesitates then nods, grumbling as he stands and shuffles back to his room. Leonard groans when he hears the door shut then immediately hears harsh singing outside the door. The door handle rattles and then twists, door opening to reveal Phoebe.

She braces both hands on the door frame, slightly above her head which is angled to the right. She looks at Leonard through a tangle mess of red hair and then stumbles into the apartment, slamming the door shut. The tight, leather mini-skirt creaks as she stumbles towards the hallway but her path is (obviously) blocked by the love seat. Her left knee hits it and she hisses, leaning onto the armrest as she hisses between her teeth.

"What are you doing," Leonard asks.

She breathes in deeply through her nose. "Sheldon is sick..." she mutters. "I gotta take care of him."

"You can't take care of him when you can't even see a chair in your way."

She glared at him. "I...can take care of him. He needs me to sing Soft Kitty," she mumbles, trying to stand straight but merely crumbling again. "I'm the only one that does it right..."

"He doesn't need a drunk helping him do anything," Leonards brow furrowed when he saw the blood flaking around her right ankle. "Phoebe, what the hell happened to your leg?"

She slouched down a little, looking down at her leg. "Oh right," she brushed away some of the blood on her leg. It just smeared. "That damn dog must've got me then..."

Leonard sighed and walked over to her. "Look, I'll help you to my room and you sleep there. I guess I can take care of Sheldon.

She looked at him in bewilderment as he helped her to her feet and began to pull her down the hallway. "You're being nice to me..."

He nodded with a heavy sigh, nudging his door open. "Yeah well...Sheldon may be annoying as hell but you mean a lot to him and every time I'm rude to you he takes it out on me."

Phoebe chuckled and let Leonard drop her onto his bed. As she toed off her heels and sank back into his comforter. She breathed in deeply and then frowned, looking up at Leonard with a sad look in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Leonard..."

He stared down at her for a long time. "I know you are, Phoebe."

It was an insult...and she took it with a sad smile.


	6. Chapter 6

_**I am...so happy this story is doing so well. Continue to review guys. Oh, and sazzieazzie, your suggestion has been taken into account:)**_

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><p>"I like you better sober."<p>

The words stung, but they should. Especially coming from Sheldon.

She stared up at him from her spot at the bottom of the stairs, a flask inches from her lips. He cut an imposing figure up the flight of stairs, fists clenched at his sides, cast in a shadow. She almost considered putting the flask down, and almost did that beforr an old woman came from downstairs.

Phoebe immediately took a tentative sip, Sheldon waiting for the woman to get out of ear shot before he spoke again.

"Can you just...not?"

Phoebe glanced at him sideways then her bottom lip jutted out and she shrugged. "Don't know," she took a slow sip. "Never tried."

"Can you?"

She paused. "Maybe one day..."

"But not today," he muttered. He cleared his throat but she wouldn't look at him. "Why were you watching me sleep this morning?"

Sbe shrugged, brushing her hair back from her neck. "You were talking in your sleep...I haven't heard you do that in awhile."

"I do it when I'm nervous."

She knew what he wouldn't say. She was giving him night terrors. Of course...of course. What else would give him such fits? She was always the cause of some problem.

"I need a drink..." she muttered to an empty flask.


	7. Chapter 7

She's been sober for three days and refuses to speak.

She sits by the large window in the living toom, staring down at the traffic below. Sheldon appears mystified, eating while the other chatter on about how their days went; Penny seems to be the only one that notices any difference.

But, when she opens her mouth to question it, Leonard shoots her a look that says 'Don't Mention It'. So she doesn't, just grumbles into her food then half-enthusiastically talks about a man that made a scene in the restuarant today.

After awhile, Phoebe stands, wrapping her thin gray coat tighter around her body. All eyes turn to her but she doesn't glare like expected, she just stares for a moment then lets in a deep breath.

"I'm going...somewhere," she mutters, moving towards the door.

Eyes fall to Sheldon, who just stares after her with an almost...amused look on his face. Penny and Leonard exchanged a look then went back to their food.

"She's coming back," Sheldon says matter-of-factly.

"After she gets more alcohol," Howard mutters.

Sheldon shakes his head. "Nope, she promised no more drinking."

"Sheldon," Leonard sighs. "How do you know she didn't just go to get drunk?"

Sheldon looks up, eyes slightly widened. "Because she promised."

Leonard shook his head, fighting the typical urge to explain to Sheldon the instibility of an alcoholics promises.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Now, before anyone says anything, yes, Phoebe does like to dissapear a lot. I have had to deal with a person who has a similiar habit to go with her other...bad habits.**_

_**Note: **the next chapters content is on debate so I figured I would ask you guys. Anyone game for a little M rated content? Just curious, if not, I won't post. Totally cool._

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><p>Its too early to be awake, Leonard decides, but he can't seem to go back to bed. The sun is barely up, its Saturday, and he wants nothing more than to sleep in. He supposes now is a god a time as any to go through his emails he had been neglecting. His inbox had accumulated over three hundred messages already.<p>

He glares at the computer from across the room then picks up his mug. "Coffee first," he mutters against the rim.

As he takes his first sip, he jumps. The door handle jiggles for a long moment and Leonard raises an eyebrow, listening to a key slide through the gears.

Phoebe stumbles into the apartment, letting out a squeak when her belt loop got hooked on the doorknob. It jerked her back and she stumbled, unintentionally slamming the door. They both cringed. She sighed and undid her belt loop, walking towards the couch until she noticed Leonard.

"Good morning Leonard."

"Where'd you go, Phoebe?"

"Straight to the point," she grumbled, rubbing her hands together. "Michaels."

Leonard raised an eyebrow for the second time. "You don't like clubs."

Phoebe shrugged. "The music was good," she looked around. "Sheldon still asleep?"

Leonard nodded, the room fell into silence. He watched her fidget for a moment, eyebrow still raised in amusement. He had never seen her like this before, she didn't have to say it, he just knew.

"You're sober."

She looked up. "Uh...yeah, now I am. Got a bit tipsy last night...their alcohol sucked."

"Still sober."

"Don't count it as a win," she warned.

Because who knew better about her inability to keep a clean track record than the drunk herself. It wasn't a win and Leonard knew that. But he had to admit, it was nice seeing Sheldon actually smile with her in the room. He hadn't done that in a long time.

So Leonard couldn't admit he saw her sneaking sips of the brandy he kept in the top shdlf. It was a gift from Penny, something to share when something big happened in their lives.

And Phoebe broke the seal.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Alright, after much debate with my muse and her council, I have finally broken down and decided to post this. I hadn't planned on content like this but by the time I got through typing it, I actually **__realized __**what I was typing and hit save. Your decision on whether or not it sticks or gets replaced with the alternate document.**_

_Warning(!): __**Heavy M rating for sexual content. This is just...all so dirty.**_

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><p>He was stirred from his slumber by a breeze. Then the insistent tugging on his clothes, most pointingly, his breeches. When he felt smooth flesh slide against one of his most private parts, he bolted into awareness but was pushed back down gently by a splayed hand.<p>

Phoebe stared at him, right half of her face blocked by her hair. She had a blank expression on her face, her hand still past the hem of his breeches. His breath came in rapidly between his lips, blood flushing his cheeks, chest and other areas. His hips bucked involuntarily as she stroked him, eliciting a small squeak from his lips.

Phoebe pushed up gently, pressing her lips hotly against his. Her nails flexed, dug into his chest a little and her hand stroked him again, making him struggle to suppress a groan. As his senses fought to come back, he pulled back, hearing their lips pop in seperation.

"Ph-Phoebe what are y -"

"I lied," she spat, moving her hand to his hip, her other hand still pressing down on his chest.

His brow furrowed. "Excuse me?"

She sighed, as if the answer were supposed to be obvious. "The other day, when you asked me why I was watching you sleep," she shook her head, looking down. "I...I was contemplating doing just this," her hand on his chest ran up to his throat, her eyes meeting his.

"You...me?"

She smiled, face full of sadness. "Yes Sheldon...yes..."

He swallowed thickly, elbows beginning to ache as he still propped himself up. "I...I don't know what to say..."

Her lips twitched and she swallowed. "Do you...are you willing to try?"

His immediate response, a fierce bob of the head, made her pupils subconciously dilate. She took his mouth in hers hungrily, their breath unified as a loud panting in the room. She guided his searching hands, letting him fall onto his back in soft sheets while his hands pressed against her back, her hips.

Her right hand wormed into his pajama pants, taking him into her palm and tugging a small gasp from his lips. It makes her purr, her chest rumbling against his. He dares for her chest, left hand tentavily brushing around her breast, the silky fabric of the camisole she had worn to bed. She pulls away from his mouth, her tongue glossing over her lips as she pushes his hand firmly against her chest. He is not overly surprised at the soft (almost squishy) lump of flesh in his hands. He is almost like a kitten batting a ball of yarn.

Phoebe chuckles, wiggling her hips up, straddling him. She coaxes him into lifting his hips so she can wiggle his pants down just enough to release his 'tool' from the stitched confines. He stares down the length of his chest, heaving in a breath as she tugs a little harder.

She bites her lip and that, for some reason, serves to make him twitch in her hand.

"You...you sure about this," she whispers in that husky voice.

He tears his eyes away from her working hand and swallows at her pouty lips. Her hair is a shaggy mess on her head, her elbows slightly turned inwards to puff up her chest a little bit.

She is his ideal of beauty.

"Yes, Phoebe."

There is something akin to joy in her eyes and she grasps him firmly, moving up to poise him at her entrance. Her thighs are burning as she slowly slides down onto him. She lets her head slowly loll back, lips parting, jaw slack. Her skin prickles and she lets him go, sliding all the way until her pelvis meets his. As she slowly rocks her hips against his, hands braced back on his knees, Sheldon finally lets his eyes close, relaxing his shoulders but his hands grip her hips.

She reaches up, right hand covering his left against her skin. She pushes forward, muscles flexing as she lifts her hips up, slowly gliding back down on him; he gasps, her walls clenching him almost painfuly.

She is the one to set the pace. She is painfully slow, he wants more but whatever she is doing is enough. More than enough. His ears listen while his eyes remain closed, hear her sharp, rapid breaths as she does eventually pick up the pace. Skin smacks, Sheldon moans. Phoebe bites her lips, feeling her climax coming. Her thighs are burning but so are her insides. All for Sheldon, a man she has known...forever.

A strangled cry comes from her mouth as Sheldon finally uses his hips in this dance. He bucks up sharply, pinching her sensitive clit between their bodies. Her walls come down, she slumps forward while Sheldon is letting out his own moan, his grip on her hips tight, painful. He bucks again and she cries out once more before becoming a useless heap on his chest.

They catch their breaths, Sheldon twining his fingers behind her back. She runs a hand up his chest, feeling content, happy.

But, as usual, she doesn't stay long. As his breath evens into slumber, she untangles herself from him, adjusts her cami and grabs a coat.

She's gone when he wakes up.

But...he insists she'll come back.

Leonard is still baffled by what he heard last night.

And Sheldon is more smug than usual.


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